Concealed anti-tank weapons have hitherto mainly consisted of anti-tank mines. Such mines, which may comprise a solid or a shaped explosive charge, are buried in the ground and attack the tank from beneath. The effective radius of a mine of this kind is very small, and consequently it is necessary for a tank to be located generally above the mine in order to sustain damage. Such mines are, nevertheless, extremely effective weapons, since the underside of the tank, where the tank propulsion means are located, is susceptible to damage. The threat presented by mines, however, can be eliminated, by clearing a path through a mine field with the aid of mine flails and mine plows, the path cleared need not be wider than the width of the actual tanks themselves.
Also described in the literature are sighted weapons, which propel a fragment through the effect of a shaped charge. These weapons are concealed on one side of the contemplated or anticipated path of the target, and attack the target from the sides or from the front thereof. Although positioning of such weapons on one side of the path travelled by the target makes it necessary to clear a wider path than that required in the case of mines, therewith possibly reducing the speed at which the vehicles advance, the sides and the fronts of the vehicles attacked by such weapons are heavily armoured and consequently these weapons have a limited effect.